Regular Meeting of the Mazeppa City Council
Meeting Minutes
Wednesday, May 10, 2023
The regular meeting of the Mazeppa City Council was called to order at 6:01 PM by Mayor Chris Hagfors.
The Pledge of Allegiance was said.
Present: Mayor Chris Hagfors. Council Persons Michael Hammes, Dustin Wiebusch, and Erica
Young.
Others Present: City Attorney Luke Lamprecht, Wabasha County Sherriff’s Department Patrol
Sargent Keith Fratzke and Deputy Matt Cox, Fire Chief Bryce Dohrn, Mike Bubany from
David Drown Associates, Public Works Director Scott Ellingson, MMLS manager Todd
Ihrke, John Clemens, Tara Gullickson, Myra Schuck, Jason Stein, Miranda Ihrke, Jordan
Robinson, Phil Olson, and City Administrator Clerk Karl Nahrgang.
Present via electronic meeting: Holly Galbus from the News Record, and Robert Josselyn.
Absent: Councilperson Steve Liffrig, City Engineer Matt Mohs.
Motion by Wiebusch, second by Young to approve the agenda and addendum. All in favor, none opposed. Carried.
Motion by Wiebusch, second by Young to approve the April 12, 2023 regular City Council meeting and the April 29, 2023 Quorum of the City Council. All in favor, none opposed. Carried.
Motion by Wiebusch, second by Hammes to close the regular meeting. All in favor, none opposed. Carried.
Regular meeting was closed at 6:02 PM.
Motion by Hammes, second by Wiebusch to open the Public Hearing for Ordinance 2023-02. All in favor, none opposed. Carried.
Public Hearing opened at 6:03 PM.
Ordinance 2023-02 will amend Ordinance 15-1 to lift some limitations on types of goods that can be sold at Community Market events and allows vendors to pay the Community Market event fee to participate and to not have to acquire a Transient Peddlers permit in addition to the event permit.
City Attorney Luke Lamprecht and Councilperson Erica Young explained that this would make the process less confusing for Community Market participants.
No other comments were expressed.
Motion by Hammes, second by Wiebusch to close the Public Hearing on Ordinance 2023-02. All in favor, none opposed. Carried.
Public Hearing was closed at 6:07 PM.
Motion by Wiebusch, second by Young to open the Public Hearing on creating TIF District 1-3. All in favor, none opposed. Carried.
Public Hearing opened at 6:08 PM.
Mike Bubany explained how a TIF District allows a City help in business development and revitalization, that other taxing agencies have signed off on this TIF District1-3’s creation, and that this is a “Pay-as-you-Go” TIF, so the owner/developer of the area makes the initial investment in the property or properties and the City pays out the tax revenue collected from the TIF to the owner/developer as it is collected, less expenses incurred by the City in administering the TIF district.
No other comment was heard.
Motion by Wiebusch, second by Hammes to close the TIF District 1-3 public Hearing. All in favor, none opposed. Carried.
Public Hearing closed at 6:30 PM.
Motion by Young, second by Wiebusch to re-open the Regular City Council meeting. All in favor, none opposed. Carried.
Regular City Council meeting re-opened at 6:31 PM.
Wabasha County Sherriff Patrol Sargent Keith Fratzke reviewed the April Incident Command Report and introduced Deputy Matt Cox.
Public Works Director Scott Ellingson gave the Public Works report.
Fire Chief Bryce Dohrn gave the Fire Department report.
A written Engineer’s report was submitted.
Municipal Liquor Store manager Todd Ihrke gave the Mazeppa Municipal Liquor Store report.
Motion by Wiebusch, second by Young to approve a professional services contract with Bolton and Menk to perform a stormwater study. All in favor, none opposed. Carried.
City Administrator Karl Nahrgang gave the City Hall activities report.
Several residents along 2nd Ave. SE expressed concern over the potential route of the walking trail. The planned route uses a platted, unused alley behind these homes. They are concerned about maintaining access to their back yards, ease of access to their yards by users of the trail, and that they had not been consulted during the planning process of the trail.
Mayor Hagfors said that the trail planning process is ongoing. That this is a process that starts with an idea and is in the initial stages of finding funding, and that problems that may come up during the process will be addressed at each stage of planning. As these issues come up, the volunteers that make up the trail planning committee will consult with parties that would be affected.
Phil Olson expressed that he felt there should not be charges associated with the shared driveway agreement with the City and owner of parcel R23.00446.00.
Council responded that there were no plans to charge for the easement.
Motion by Young, second by Wiebusch to approve Resolution 2023-23 Approving driveway easement over part of Outlot D, Scenic Heights Subdivision. All in favor, none opposed. Carried.
Motion by Young, second by Wiebusch to approve signing a shared driveway agreement with Jacob & Angela Kosec. All in favor, none opposed. Carried.
Motion by Wiebusch, second by Young to approve Building permits: MZ23-05, 249 6th Ave. NE – Re-roof. MZ23-07, 341 Chestnut St. NE – Re-roof. All in favor, none opposed. Carried.
Motion by Wiebusch, second by Wiebusch to approve signing a shared driveway agreement with Jacob & Angela Kosec. All in favor, none opposed. Carried.
Motion by Wiebusch, second by Young to approve Ordinance 2023-02 amending portions of Ordinance 15-1. All in favor, none opposed. Carried.
City Attorney Luke Lamprecht updated the Council that the State of Minnesota had accepted the City’s changes and is in compliance with pay equity statutes.
Motion by Hammes, second by Young to approve Resolution 2023-22 Renewing the charitable gambling lease with Mazeppa Fire Relief at the Mazeppa Municipal Liquor Store. All in favor, none opposed. Carried.
Motion by Hammes, second by Wiebusch to approve Resolution 2023-21 issuing a temporary off-site gambling permit to Mazeppa Fire Relief for the Mazeppa Daze raffle. All in favor, none opposed. Carried.
Motion by Hammes, second by Wiebusch to approve Resolution 2023-24 issuing a temporary off-site liquor license to Mazeppa Municipal Liquor to serve at the Community Market events at Lion’s Park. All in favor, none opposed. Carried.
Motion by Hammes second by Wiebusch to approve Resolution 2023-25 accepting donations to the City. All in favor, none opposed. Carried.
Motion by Wiebusch, second by Young to approve Resolution 2023-26 cancelling “on-sale” liquor license and Sunday “on-sale” liquor license for Mazeppa Inc./dba Leo’s Sports Bar as of June 1, 2023. All in favor, none opposed. Carried.
Motion by Hammes, second by Young to approve Resolution 2023-27 issuing an “on-sale” liquor license and Sunday “on-sale” liquor license to Rumors Bar & Grill LLC. All in favor, none opposed. Carried.
Motion by Young, second by Wiebusch to approve Resolution 2023-28 establishing Mazeppa TIF District 1-3. All in favor, none opposed. Carried.
Mike Bubany of David Drown Associates explained how the interim project financing sponsored by Minnesota Rural Water Association works and that the City can get back funds that were paid out of reserves that would be financed by the loans and grants for the wastewater treatment facility upgrade.
Motion by Wiebusch, second by Young to agree to terms to be included in services contract with David Drown Associates. All in favor, none opposed. Carried.
Motion by Wiebusch, second by Hammes to approve recovering funds already spent on wastewater treatment project in interim financing package. All in favor, none opposed. Carried.
Motion by Wiebusch, second by Young to pay the bills and claims. All in favor, none opposed. Carried.
Councilperson Erica Young reminded everyone that the 1st Community Market event of the season would be May 25, 2023 from 5:00 PM to 8:00 PM and that the Herb Vik Park cleanup would be Saturday, May 20, 2023 from 10:00 AM until noon.
Motion by Young, second by Wiebusch to adjourn the meeting until June 6, 2023 at 06:00 PM for a Public Hearing to consider a variance request. All in favor, none opposed. Carried.
Meeting adjourned at 8:58 PM.
Administrator-Clerk
